Reviews by beveragecaptain:

12 ounce bottle. This beer pours out black with a small head. Carbonation appears to be very low. Delicious aroma of caramelized sugar, chocolate, and grapes. A hint of smokiness lurks in the background. The flavors follows closely from the aroma, but with more smokiness and a roasted coffee flavor. Hops come in at the finish. I would call this a hoppy stout, but it's not even close to the level of hops in some stouts I've tried recently. Mouthfeel is typical Lake Louie. And by that I mean incredibly smooth. How a 9% beer be this smooth and creamy, I do not know. There's no sign of the alcohol. I'm a fan of the imperial stout style and a huge fan of Lake Louie. This brew does not disappoint in either area. (715 characters)

More User Reviews:

Tasted on tap at the brewery during a visit with expatsteve and golden2twenty1. This beer has improved considerably with time both in this barrel, which has been tapped since February, and in the bottles Ive kept at home. The key improvement has been mellowing of the alcohol as well as the chocolate and coffee malts. There is no longer any alcohol taste and the hop character is extended in the flavor. Furthermore, plum and cherry is more dominant in the nose and taste. Drinkability has been perfected by a cleaner and crisper finish. Still a bit thin but overall one of the most drinkable big stouts Ive had to date.

Interesting Trivia: This beer was brewed and named for Mr. Mephisto, a cult TV personality from the 70s. Hops were purposely staled before brewing to give the beer an instantly aged feel. (818 characters)

Picked this up at Steve's Liquors in Madison on my legendary "make a six" visit.

A: Almost black. Ruby red showing through on the edges against the light. Coffee stained half finger head. Dissipated quickly to a thin dusting and some large bubbles. Some lacing - nothing to write home about.

T: Just as you would expect from the smell. You get the roasted flavors and then there's some fruitiness coming through. It's a tart dark fruit which is close to cloying at times - walks a fine line for me. The finish is bone dry and almost charcoal-like in roasty flavor. Tartness stays with you into the aftertaste. The combination of dry and tart do drive you to keep n drinking, so that works. I expected more booze but it is well masked.

D: The biggest issue I have with this beer is that it is lacking all the big malt in the middle - it's just way to thin in flavor. I am a fan of Lake Louie but this one is promising but just doesn't deliver the goods. (1,185 characters)

12oz bottle. New batch so this is not retired. Pours into my glass a deep black with dark brown accents around the edges. A half inch of creamy tan foam sits atop and then falls leaving spots of lacing on the glass. Aromas are big on roasted malt upfront. There's a nice brewed coffee aroma in there as well as a mellow chocolate note. Sort of lactic as well. Mild hops. The big roast / slightly smoky aroma leads the way though.

First sip brings a big dark roasted malt upfront that moves into a mix of coffee and chocolate, with the coffee dominating. There's a fruity aspect in the middle with a touch of smoke as well. Flows down with a bit of bitterness and a mild lactic note again. Tasty overall, but lacks the depth I was hoping for.

Mouthfeel is smooth, but a bit on the thin side for an imperial stout. It wasn't really what I was expecting and is more in line with a standard stout. Overall, the brew is still tasty, although the roast could be toned down a bit. If I want a nice stout I'll grab this again, but not if I'm looking for an imperial stout. (1,066 characters)

A- This beer pours a dense black body with a microbubble trail up the side of the glass. There is a creamy tan head that turns bubbly after a bit.

S- The roasted malt has a smooth charred chocolate character without any bitterness. There is some spun sugar notes in the finish and an iced coffee quality.

T- The smooth roasted black malt has some mineral water notes and an ice coffee finish. There is some soft licorice and char notes in the finish and a very light tartness that seems to be more from hops that funk.

M- There is a light mouthfeel and a tight little fizz finish and no alcohol heat noticed.

O- This beer is big yet easy to drink and the smooth mellow flavor has some nice chocolate qualities but no big roasted bitter flavors and all the flavors are well blended. (813 characters)

Deepest crimson-black, though it still allows a good amout of light to pass through the edges. I want my imperial stouts (and all stouts, reallly) to be thick slabs of impentrable black. This isn't.
Chocolate raisinette nose, dunked in medium roast coffee. Hops are not present in the nose.
Enters with a thick, thick milk chocolate blanket. Vanilla and coffee and mere platoon players, though they are clearly the next in line. The milk chocolate is unyielding, and should actually be looked upon as two seperate entities, cocoa and lactose. There is a minor tea-like leafiness towards the close, as it ends with a jammy, purple grape vinousness. No distinct alcohol or hops tones are noted. If this is actually 9% as stated, I'd be shocked.

This is on the dieting side of medium bodied. And a bit worty feeling too.

It is an enjoyable beverage, and an absolutely classic example of a sweet stout. Rename it: Lake Louie Reserve Milk Stout.
If that was the style it was meant to portray, it would probably gain a full point, if not more. It is more or less a peer of Mackeson's XXX.

Rated as it is labeled- Imperial- it will not fare as well, as it lacks all the depth and crucial traits. (1,202 characters)

Bottle from O'Reilly's in late summer. Pours thickish looking very dark brown to black colour, with a bit of white head. Aroma, some roast and chocolate. Above average mouthfeel, though not at today's standard of IS.Good drinkability, competent for the style, with hazelnut and licorice. (287 characters)

Modest cafe au lait colored head, velvety smooth small bubbles. Dark black, not quite solid though, and ruby highlights are seen when held up to the light. I like the font used on the bottle neck label.

Cocoa powder, and roasted barley are perceived in my first sniff. Following that, a little yeast aroma comes into the picture.

Malted milk balls is the first thought I have, taste-wise. Chocolate-y , and somewhat chalky. Somehow it works though. Little hop flavor is detected, although bitterness is present, and no hint of that 9% ABV either. A light vanilla flavor comes out, as well as a light caramel sweetness.

Smooth on the palate, medium long sweet finish.

A very good beer. If you're looking for a huge malt bomb cult beer, keep right on looking. If you like a well made, tasty beer that will keep you interested, but won't break the bank, here it is. I look forward to sampling this again when it next comes around. Cheers! (941 characters)

A: A vigorous pour yields a .5 finger coarse, chocolate head the receds quickly into nothing. Beer looks opaque black but is also noticeably carbonated. Lacing is near non-existent. There's a couple of wisps but nothing else.

T: Noticeably sour in the opening and I fear this one might've gone bad. Even a bit spicy, chocolate is there but the coffee is missing for the most part. No dark fruit flavors to mention and it finishes with a weird, slightly sour hoppiness.

M: Medium bodied and a bit carbonated for the style. Coarse and this one doesn't do a lot transition. Body stays the same as it warms. Not smooth in the least with a finish that is surprisingly watery and hoppy, not sticky though it does linger a bit.

D: I can see what the brewers were going for with this one but it just doesn't do it for me. I've had hoppy RISs before (Darkness) and this one just doesn't quite pull it off right. The thick, full, oily body is also not there, nor is the dark fruit that I've come to love with this style. It's an appreciated attempt, but I'll pass on this one next time. (1,260 characters)

7/27/06 Edit: 3rd in line during the Imperial/Russian Stout tasting session with Golden2wenty1, expatsteve, and DaPeculierDane. Results came out pretty similar...complexity in the nose/tongue have improved as has drinkability. Still a middle of the road beer compared to its competition the other night.

12oz single, 6 pack from Star Liquor

appearance: pours a dark mahogany into my snifter, head is a light chocolatey brown fizzing foam that dissipates quite quickly but leaves a thick lace around the rim

smell: nice dark roastiness, licorice, sweet dark fruit - mostly plum and grape, cocoa powder, espresso...nothing really jumps out and grabs you like some other lake louie beers but its not a bad nose

taste: bold and robust...very dark and roasty, high licorice factor, dark cocoa powder, strong smoke presence, nice little citric hop bite in the middle...theres some good things going on here but it doesnt seem to come together like some other lake louie beers. worth checking out for sure though

Appearance: It's very dark brown in color with only traces of light penetrating the outer edges. Chunks of sediment are aplenty. The head is reminiscent of milk chocolate and is easily three fingers deep. It's very slow to recede and leaves a heavy coating of lace down the glass. Very attractive.

Smell: Chocolate malts are strong and sweet. It has an interesting fudge-like aroma that predominates. Roasted malts and a alight smoked smell add some complexity. There's a light coffee smell, but it's a little weak for the style. Alcohol blends well as it's only marginally noticeable.

Taste: It's every bit as chocolaty as the aroma suggests. Chocolate malts are certainly sweet and a little bitter. But, frankly it's a little too much chocolate for my preference. There are some ancillary notes of roasted malt and coffee, but they don't really complement the chocolate flavor in any way. It's just not blended well. Alcohol is not noticeable in taste. Perhaps the brewers nailed that bit. There is a residual bitterness that lingers for quite a while.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: It's light bodied and that's where this beer really falters. It's way too thin and lacks the silky smooth mouthfeel of a top notch imperial stout. Carbonation is okay and it goes down easy enough. But, mouthfeel is very average. Drinkability is above average. It's 9% abv and in no way resembles a beer of that size. It doesn't smell, taste, or feel big at all. I could drink a couple of these, but it's weak points (taste and feel) diminish drinkability a bit.

Lake Louie needs to go back to the drawing board with this one (and perhaps it has). A few tweaks could substantially improve this beer. Toning down the chocolate flavor and thickening it should be the focal points. That being said, it's not a bad beer. But, with so many fine imperial stouts on the market, this is not one that commands repeat visits. (1,965 characters)

Straight from the fridge to my glass. Black with a small dark tan head. Low head retention. Black licorice aroma was light - almost undetectable. Taste of licorice, dark chocolate, and coffee. Hops offset the malt nicely, with a nice hop finish and a little taste of alcohol. Mouthfeel a little thin for the style, but still nice and smooth. Carbonation was medium/low and nearly perfect for a stout. Medium/full bodied. Warmth of alcohol. Excellent drinkability, especially for an imperial. I'll certainly have another when I finish this one! (543 characters)

LL's Mr. Mephisto's Imperial Stout pours up with ample carbonation that createa a full tannish-brown colored head that tops the nearly opaque deep brown-blackish body. The aroma is pleasant with a mild roasted, burnt espresso, chicory character that sports a hint of herbal (minty) hops hidden in the background. Slightly fruity with some vinous alcohol warmth & a touch of oxidation. The flavor starts off with some sweet molasses and burnt brown sugar sweetness that rolls into a fresh roasted barley finish marked with a balanced bitterness & noticeable alcohol warmth. This finely crafted medium-full bodied stout is not-unlike an export-style or "extra" stout but certainly packs more punch than expected. Whether you're a horror fan or an old school gamer, Mr. Mephisto's Imperial Stout will have you saying it's, "like dying and going to heaven."

CHEERS! Beertracker

Trader's Note: Many thanks to ThomasHardy for hooking me up with this fine elixir. (959 characters)

A: The RIS is a pitch black brew, dark with some ruby red highlights that come through when light shines into the narrow parts of the glass. A decent tan-colored head is lacing around the sides.

S: The stout has a thick, oily aroma that is roasted with baker's chocolate and coffee. A surprising amount of hops are present too, adding a citrus touch. The strength of the stout is quite nice.

T: The stout's head tasted slightly metallic, making me worry that the ale was past its prime. Luckily the first sip re-affirmed that this ale has some legs to it. Roasted, hell burnt toast, thick and charred hits the tastebuds up front. Doughy bread has a darker rye-like flavor. Baker's chocolate adds a bitter touch that is welcome amongst the char. The stout also has a sour lactose flavor that adds a milkiness to the dark chocolate malts.

M: Charred with a lactose body, this stout holds up quite well. I can only imagine that the stout was much hotter a year ago.

D: The stout is big but the alcohol is well hidden. I'd be happy to nurse on a few of these over the course of a night. (1,122 characters)

Pours pitch black with purple glints, not much head. Huge roasty nose. Equally big roasty taste, but surprisingly lacking in chewiness. The flavor sits high in your mouth, if that makes any sense. Some late alcohol presence. Quite good, if not quite first tier. Recommended as a slightly different imperial stout. (313 characters)

Pours an oily dark black with a two-finger dark tan head that leaces a ring of lace on the Great Dane glass.
Aroma has some anise, dark raisins or plums, chocolate, coffee and just a hint of some roastiness.
Flavor of dark fruits shine through a bed of chocolate, grainy coffee and followed with a dry crisp alomst spicy bitterness.
Mouthfeel is a tad thin, no too bad but definitely a bit below style. Creamy, chewy and very approachable, almost porter like. Noticed some similarities to the Warped Speed with this one, must share some ingredients.
Drinkability is very good. Again a bit thin but this actually makes it much more approachable. Is there such thing as a Russian Imperial Porter ? This might be a candidate. (763 characters)